The 400 caliber El Primero is an anachronism, but wonderful. The first automatic high-frequency chronograph movement was introduced (along with the Seiko 6309 and the Breitling / Heuer / Buren 01 caliber) in 1969 and has, surprisingly, persisted to the present day. The design of the movement, however, is also a relic of its time – for example, there are several different screw sizes, more than you would see in a movement designed today, which makes manufacturing comparatively more time consuming, laborious and expensive. The Chronomaster Sport, launched today by Zenith, uses a new movement: the 3600 caliber, which was designed to reduce the number of parts, take advantage of modern materials and manufacturing processes and offer enhanced functionality.
